cutting fin keel

[javelin]

Our creeks/marinas are getting more shallow every year. I know there was a post about cutting off part of the keel and replacing it with a bulb type but this seems rather radical to me. My question is thus: if I were to cut a foot off the keel of my Catalina 30, what would be the consequences? I'm guessing that these old boats ('78) were overbuilt and I could probably get away with this without serious troubles but then again maybe this is plain nuts. Russ

 

[Team118]

...but then again maybe this is plain nuts.

:naughty: :naughty:

 

[Grasshopp]

The first thing I would worry about is stability. A foot of keel = how much weight? when the boat was designed it had many calculations to the stability and righting motion of it "as built". We are running into that with the boat I race on. We had to add weight to the keel just to qualify for CAT2 ocean races. We still don't qualify for CAT1.

 

[Jeff M10656]

Mars Metals

Can be done, have not seen one.

See link.

http://www.marskeel.com/services/1

 

[Bob S]

It would do a number on her resale value.

 

[javelin]

thanks

Thanks for the ideas. If I do this, I will post results.

 

[Twice Around]

I would find a wing keel or shoal draft version and sell the deep keel..or better yet...move to more water.

"uh, yeah...hey boss? I quit...there isn't enough water here for my boat anymore, so I'm moving."

 

[wonkodsane]

Sell it and buy a shoal or wing keel. Whacking off a foot of keel will lose you around 1,000 pounds of ballast. (Around a quarter of what Cat 30s were designed with)

Bob S, I don't think it would just do a number on the resale value, it would make it unsaleable from a risk standpoint.